Method of and device for facilitating the reading of manuscripts



A. FORNET July 27, 1943.

METHOD OF AND DEVICES FOR FACILITATING THE READING- OF MANUSCRIPTS Fil ed March 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l /n venfol': Arms \1 FORvW-f llll Ill IIIIV l I l I I l l llll.

A. FORNET July 27, 1943.

METHOD OF AND DEVICES FOR FACILITATING THE READING OF MANUSCRIPTS 'Filed March 2 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R TORNEW 'urally also changes.

Patented July 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE METHOD OF AND DEVICE FOR FACILITAT- ING THE READING OF MANUSCRIPTS Artur Fornet, Berlin, Germany; vested in the Alien lropertyCustodian' Application March 2, 1940, Serial No. 322,038

. In Germany March 2, 1939 Claims. (o1; '10-'96) This invention relates to a methodof and devices for facilitating the reading of manuscripts.

In general manuscripts are used by speakers such as lecturers and Wireless announcers, by the speaker either loo-king continuously at the horizontal or upwardly inclined manuscript or glancing at it from time to time to prepare himself for a certain amount of freely delivered speech.

In any case the speakers gaze is removed from the audience either continuously or from time to time, which is undesirable as regards the effect of the speech; further the sound efiect'varies very considerably because with the change in the direction of gaze the sound These difiiculties are overcome by the method and devices according to the invention.

The method consists in the manuscript or the like being reflected into the horizontal or approximately horizontal direction of .gaze of the speaker; it appears between the speaker and the audience in a reflector which neither hides the' speaker from the audience nor hinders the speaker himselfin any way. The manuscript can be read directly in the reflector by the speaker without his having to turn his direction of gaze or speech away from the audience during his whole speech. I

The method can be put into practical effect by a device which reflects the manuscript to the speaker by the aid of a single reflector, the manuscript being written in reverse, or if a normally written manuscript is used an auxiliary; reversing reflector being interposed.

In using a single reflector, the idea of reverse Writing and the reading of reversed writing by the aid of reflection is for the first time deliberately used for a definite technical purpose, namely to facilitate the reading out of manuscripts. In this way the result is obtained that the speaker appears to speak freely yet he can keep to his manuscript even word for word.

The use of one reflector and a reversely written manuscript has the particular advantage that there is no loss in brightness due to repeated reflections and that in addition there is no narrowing of the field of view, particularly if a'magnifying reflector, for instance an astronomical, spherical reflector of very considerable focal length such as 0.5 metre, 1 metre or-even 1.5 metres, is used.

Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying .drawings illustrate diagrammatically and byway of example a readers desk according to the invention,

direction natthe desk of Figures 1 and 2, working on the principle of a single reflector and reversely written manuscript, while 'the desk of Figure 3 employs a normally written manuscript and a reversing reflecton. The desk of Figures 4 and 5 employs a single reflector and reversely written manuscript but the drawings show a funnel-shaped opening within the desk top provided with'a microphone on' the bottom.

Figure 1 shows the desk partly in elevation and partly in vertical section on the lineA-A of Figure 2, while Figures 2 and 3 are both plan views. f a r In Figures 1 and 2 the casing of the desk is marked |;"the direction of gaze of the speaker is indicated by arrows. On the casing I is areflector 2 which reflects the manuscript into the horizontal direction of gaze of the speaker. The

by each speaker.

actual reflector 2 is held adjustably by aholder 3 having for example a ball joint 4. The manuscript 5 in reverse Writing is in roll form and is unwound from an upper roller 6 to a lower roller I and during use is illuminated by a trough lamp 8. The roller 6 projects a little above the horizontal desktop 9 and can be con veniently manipulatedby the speaker during his speech to roll ofi the manuscript. The tworollers 6 and l are coupled together for exampleby a rubber cord ID, so that the speaker can roll and unroll the manuscript at more than one place on the desk; A further operating drum II is provided, which is coupled to the roller 1 by another rubber cord l2.

Whether the speaker manipulates roller '6 or drum I I the desired movement of the manuscript noiselessly takes place.

A carrying frame l3 in which the rollers 6 and Tare journalled is'supported in the desk casing I at one. end on a bracket M on the desk bottom and at the other end at IS on the rear vertical wall ofthe desk, whereby the manuscript is held downwardly inclined away from the speaker, to example'at an angle of 45.

The carrying frame I3 with manuscript can at any time be changed for another with another manuscript so that the desk can freely be used The manuscript with reverse writing can conveniently be prepared photographically from a normally written original.

The opening in the desk top 9 in which the manuscript support and feed device freely rests, is markecl'jlli. .When the manuscript is illuminated by the lamp 8, the reversed writing of the manuscripti'appearson the reflector 2 as a forward, upright, virtual image which comprises not horizontal desktop provided on the, flooring of thespeakers plat- 7 form. By means of this switch til the motor ll 7 without difiiculty. i

The device of Figure 3 is identical with that of Figures 1 and 2 except that an auxiliary re; versing reflector il is provided in order to throw a reversed image of the normally written manuscript into the main reflector 2. a Y

' If amplified sound transmission is desired, the microphones are advantageously arranged right and left of the main reflector 2, a smaller 'numher being required than usual because'change in the direction of speech delivery by the'speaker no longer needs to take place to the degree nec essary in the normal mode of use of amanuscript. i

- The deviceof Figures 4 and 5 discloses'a'desk l with aTunnel-shapiadopening 2%, whose walls aretapering off. On thebottom. of 'the openingZEla microphone 2| has been provided. .Its position issol arranged, that the sounds which are produced in the next neighbourhood of the speakerare prevented from arriving at the interior of the funnel-shaped opening '28 and, at the microphone and that only the sounds of the speaker arrive at it. In this wall a small number of microphones, advantageously one microphone, is required. Another improvement is the arrangement of a motor ll',,,especially of a gramophone motor. This serves for the purposev to move the roller The movement of the roller ,1 will be transmitted to the upper roller by a rubber cord' ill, bywhichthe two rollers 6' and 'l' are coupled. The motor IT can bestarted by a pair of switches !3, arranged onboth sides of the upper roller 3 andon the Another switch 18 is can be startedby theicot of the. speaker. In

.the end a movable switch, not illustrated, can

1. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a speaker's desk having a well-forming openingtherein, a pair of spaced rollers arranged in the opening of said desk and supported at respectively different elevations below the level i of the horizontal direction of gaze oi-the speaker, a manuscript wound at one end on one of said rollers and secured at its other-end to-the other of said rollers, an endless belt operatively the horizontal direction of gaze of the speaker, a manuscript wound at one end on one of said rollers and secured at its opposite end to the other. of said rollers, the subject-matter of the manuscript being arranged in reverse writing, said rollers being so arranged that the plane of the manuscript slopes downwardly away from the speaker at an angle of'approximately 45,

, an endless belt operatively connecting said roll- *"ers together whereby said rollers are rotatable "in unison, means operatively connected to one of'said rollers for paying off the manuscript iii) from one roller to the other, and a mirror ad- "justabiy supported on said desk between the speaker and the audience for reflecting the manuscript into substantially the horizontal direction 7 of gaze of the speaker.

, 3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a 'speakers desk having a substantially ver- "ranged that the plane of, the manuscript slopes downwardly away from the speaker at an angle of approximately 45, an endless belt opera- ,tively connecting said rollers together, means operatively connected to one of said rollers for paying out the manuscript from one roller to the other, means on said deskfor illuminating the manuscript, and means for reflecting the manuscript into substantially the horizontal direction of gaze of the speaker.

4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a speakers desk having a substantially vertical well-forming opening, a pair of spaced rollers arranged in the opening of said desk and supported below the level of the horizontal direction of gazeof the speaker, a manuscript "wound at one end on one of said rollers. and secured at its other end to the other of said rollers, means operatively connecting said rollers together, a reflector adjustably supported on said desk between the speaker and the audience for reflecting the manuscript into substantially the horizontal direction of gaze of the speaker,

and a reversing mirror interposed between the manuscript and the reflector.

5.. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a speakersv desk having a substantially verconnecting said rollers together to permit progressive pay-off'of said manuscript from one roller to the other,and means for reflecting the manuscript into substantially the horizontal direction of gaze of the speaker. a i

.2..Apparatus of the class described, compris ing a speakers desk having awell-iorming. opening thereinjapair of rollers arranged in the opening of said desk and supported at respectively diiferent; elevations below the level of tical well-forming opening, a pair of spaced rollers arranged inthe opening of said desk and supported at respectively different elevations below the level of the horizontal direction of gaze of the speaken'a manuscript wound at one end on one of said rollers and secured at its other end to the other of said rollers, the plane of said manuscript sloping downwardly away from the speaker at an angle of approximately 45, means operatively connecting said rollers together, whereby, rotation of one of said rollers will rotate the other. to cause said manuscript to be paid out from one roller and wound on the other, a refiectoradjustably supported on said desk between the speakerand the audience for IC- flecting the manuscript into substantially the horizontal'direction of gaze of the speaker, and a reversing mirror interposed between the manuscript and the reflector.

' ARTUR FORNET. 

